Trump in NATO: Will the US President reverse his 2019 ban and offer F-35 fighter jets to Turkey? | Today’s news
US President Donald Trump landed in Ankara on Tuesday (July 7th) for the NATO summit in the Turkish capital, according to an AFP report. According to several media reports, the US president will speak with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, before joining other NATO leaders for a big dinner. Will Donald Trump reverse his 2019 decision to offer F-35 fighter jets to Turkey during today’s interview with Erdogan?
A New York Times report says the US president is likely to go back on his decision to offer F-35 fighter jets to Turkey. Washington is reportedly exploring ways to restore defense ties with Ankara despite legal and political obstacles to Turkey’s purchase of Russia’s S-400 missile defense system.
Trump is considering a major shift in US policy regarding F-35 sales to Turkey
A NYT report citing senior US administration officials indicated that Trump is ready to tell Erdogan that he wants to bring Turkey back into the F-35 fighter jet program, a dramatic reversal of a decision made during his first term in office in 2019.
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Turkey was excluded from the F-35 program after acquiring the Russian S-400 air defense system, raising security concerns about the potential to compromise the F-35’s stealth technology.
A law passed in 2020 prohibits the sale of F-35s to Turkey unless the US certifies that Ankara no longer possesses the S-400 systems, posing significant legal hurdles.
Turkey could regain access to the F-35 program if the US administration negotiates a mechanism to either remove or render the S-400 batteries inoperable, meeting legal requirements.
US administration officials have suggested that Trump may signal a reversal of his previous decision during talks with Erdogan and try to reinstate Turkey into the F-35 program.
Congress is overseeing the process and has expressed opposition to resuming F-35 sales to Turkey, especially given the ongoing legal requirements associated with Turkey’s possession of the S-400 systems.
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The move would represent one of the most significant changes in US-Turkish defense relations in recent years. However, officials caution that discussions are still ongoing and that no final decision has yet been publicly announced.
According to administration officials, Trump could use his meetings with Erdogan to signal Washington’s intention to restart the process, potentially through an exchange of letters between the two leaders. The exact timetable for any aircraft movement remains uncertain.
The officials also acknowledge that Trump could still change course, reflecting the fluid nature of the discussions.
Why was Turkey kicked out of the F-35 program
Turkey was excluded from the multinational F-35 program in 2019 after acquiring the Russian S-400 air defense system.
American officials claimed at the time that the operation of both systems at the same time posed unacceptable security risks. Washington feared that the S-400 could be used to gather information about the F-35’s stealth technology, potentially allowing Russia to study its capabilities.
A White House statement issued at the time said: “The F-35 cannot coexist with a Russian intelligence-gathering platform that will be used to obtain information about its advanced capabilities. Turkey has been a long-standing and trusted NATO partner and ally for more than 65 years, but the adoption of the S-400 undermines the commitments that all NATO allies have made to each other to abandon Russian systems.”
The decision also triggered US sanctions against Turkey’s defense procurement agency, which remain in place.
Congress remains a major obstacle
Even as Trump signals support for restoring Turkey’s access to aircraft, the administration faces significant legal challenges.
A law passed by Congress in 2020 prohibits the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey unless the US administration confirms that Ankara no longer possesses Russian S-400 systems.
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Administration officials say one proposal under discussion involves moving S-400 batteries, many of which reportedly sit unused in shipping containers, to a third country. Another option being explored would involve permanently decommissioning missile systems by removing critical components.
No final mechanism has been agreed upon.
The issue is also expected to face scrutiny on Capitol Hill, where several lawmakers have opposed any attempt to resume sales.
Erdogan has been pushing for the return of Turkey for a long time
Turkey has spent years lobbying Washington to regain access to the F-35 program while resisting pressure to abandon the S-400 system.
Trump has repeatedly indicated that he would like to mend relations with Ankara, and has often claimed that the circumstances that led to Turkey’s removal from the program stemmed from earlier political decisions.
During a recent Oval Office meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutt, Trump hinted that he plans to surprise Erdogan.
Asked about the F-35 issue, Trump said he would bring the Turkish president a gift that would make him “very happy.”
Vice President JD Vance later confirmed that the administration had begun reviewing possible legal avenues.
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“Pete and the whole team are reviewing this right now because there are certain things that we need to confirm happened if the administration was to comply with American law. The president asked us to do that.”
Trump later added, “We’ll work it out.”
Netanyahu expresses concern over possible F-35 transfer
The prospect of Turkey rejoining the F-35 program also drew criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In an interview with Fox & Friends, Netanyahu said, “Turkey is a great country, but it is ruled by a man who openly calls for the destruction of Israel.”
He added: “It occupies half of Cyprus, a NATO country.”
Netanyahu also claimed: “He threatens Greece, another NATO country, and openly talks about capturing Jerusalem.”
However, Cyprus is not a member of NATO.
The NATO summit begins amid broader tensions in the alliance
Trump’s visit comes at a sensitive time for the alliance.
The US president has repeatedly criticized European NATO members for not spending enough on defense and recently expressed frustration with what he sees as insufficient US support during its conflict with Iran.
Although NATO members last year agreed to raise defense spending targets, Trump has continued to press allies to accelerate military investment.
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Trump’s approach to Russia and the war in Ukraine has also created divisions within the alliance. Trump is expected to hold separate talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday after attending a NATO working meeting.
For Turkey, however, the biggest development from the summit could be whether Trump formally signals the start of Ankara’s return to the F-35 program, ending a dispute that has defined the US-Turkey defense relationship since 2019.
